


What Happened in Shadowstone

by Moonrose91



Series: The Hearth Doesn't Make the Home [2]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Erebor Never Fell, F/M, Gen, eventual mentioned Bilbo/Thorin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2018-10-14 08:40:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10532877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonrose91/pseuds/Moonrose91
Summary: As Thorin was Nothir in the Shire, Dís was in Shadowstone, and Fíli got pebbles in his boots.





	1. Pebbles in the Boots

**Author's Note:**

> (forgot this part)
> 
> YOU NEED TO READ THE FIRST PART OF THIS TO GET A BIT OF THE BACKGROUND SITUATION HAPPENING IN THIS!!! It is not an option, this is not something you can read because you just want to read about the Dwarrow/Dwarves, it is not going to work, and we'll both get confused most likely.
> 
> Please, please, _please_ read the first part before you read this.
> 
> Two years (or so) later than I planned, here is the first chapter for “What Happened in Shadowstone”! 
> 
> Yay! Not done yet, but it is a start, no?
> 
> Anyway, this first chapter is at about [Chapter 04: Missing Home](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1592828/chapters/3398984). Yeah, basically Fíli’s problems started a bit before this, mostly in just wanting to belong. Common problem for teens; you want to belong and hey these people accept you!

“Oh, Fíli, what are you doing?” Dís murmured as she watched him run off with some of the less savory folk in Shadowstone.

There was nothing _wrong_ with Men. They were no worse, nor no better, than any other Dwarf she had met, good and bad alike. They were just as prone to greed and conclusion jumping as Dwarves as well, but that was neither here nor there.

“What was that Dís?” one of the women, Lilly, questioned and Dís turned to her.

“Oh, my son. My eldest son. He’s been…well, I do like him having friends, but the friends he seems to be collecting are not the sort that I want him to have,” Dís explained and Lilly nodded, red hair moving with her head.

“I know what you mean. My Tomas is that way. Running around with that Robert and his fellows. But he won’t listen to me when I tell him they’re not the sort to talk to,” Lilly stated as she carefully lowered the wool in to be dyed.

“This Shire wool really is something. I wonder what they feed their sheep,” she mused and Dís nodded, focusing on making some of the more…Dwarvish dyes, though with Men materials.

She loved some of the colors she had managed to alter, using plants instead of stone for the dyes, or a mix of the two. “Oooh, is that the purple you were showing me last week?” Lilly questioned, bustling over to grin at them and Dís nodded as she put thoughts of Fíli running with a bad crowd out of her mind.

He behaved himself whenever Kíli started up his more mischievous pranks, even urging Kíli away from them. It would be fine.

* * *

Fíli groaned and shook his head.

What had he been thinking, following Robert’s lead like that? Mahal, he hadn’t done something this _stupid_ since he was five, for Mahal’s sake!

He _knew_ that market day was mad, but Robert, Tomas, and the rest had _insisted_ it would be fine. Mahal, he _knew_ better!

He knew better than to try and prank the Hobbits that came close to here during the heaviest market days, especially since it had led to three carts being upset, two damaged almost beyond repair, and an ox, shorter than one Fíli had ever seen before, with a limp.

Mahal forgive him for that, _Kíli_ forgive him for that, because he _knew better_! He knew better than to put…

“Fíli Silirson, _what_ were you _thinking_?” Amad shouted and he winced, slowly looking up from the mud-stained blankets and damaged wool and…

Oh, she looked fierce and he scrambled to his feet, trying not to damage the Hobbits’ wares any more than they already were, and Robert was there, snickering behind his hand (though not in the fray) though Tomas looked a bit pale, and a few others of Robert’s group were either smirking or not looking towards him. He tried to dodge his mother’s hand, but he failed and he suddenly had his ear in her fingers, and Robert howled while Fíli burned with embarrassment.

He struggled half-heartedly, even as he felt his mother yank him, carefully, by the ear and oh, _ow_ , she had gotten some of his hair too! He nearly cursed, but kept it back behind his teeth.

This close to his mother, he really didn’t want to know what she was going to do. “Well?” she demanded.

“I’m sorry Mother, I…wasn’t,” Fíli responded and winced when he heard Robert break out into louder laughter.

This was horrible.

He had just wanted to fit in! This was the first time those in his vague age group (in a manner of speaking) had talked to him. It didn’t help he often had Dwalin at his shoulder or was already working, an apprentice to Dwalin (though Thorin was the main master and it showed in his own blacksmithing, _especially_ the weaponsmithing, seeing his uncle’s guiding hand in his work, even if it was his own), he was so distanced from those that were…

“You weren’t thinking? What do you think you have between your ears, _rocks_? The Creator gave you a brain to think with, I expect you to use it!” Amad snapped and Fíli felt his face flame as he heard Robert howl with laughter.

“Now, you shall help the Hobbits clean up the mess, and see if you can help them repair, or find replacements, for anything that’s been damaged. _Including_ the ox!” she continued.

“Mother!” he hissed, even as he heard Robert shout, “I wouldn’t let me old mam talk to me that way Mama’s Boy!”

Amad ignored Robert, though her eyes narrowed slightly as she crossed her arms, and she snorted harshly through her nose, a very un-princess like gesture. “You’re lucky your uncle isn’t here, or he’d be banning you from the forge, no questions asked! Now _move_ young man! You’re not of age yet and until you are, you still have to listen to your ‘old mam’,” she snapped and Fíli scowled, embarrassed as Robert hooted with laughter.

Mahal, could this get worse?

* * *

It got worse.

Adad was frowning deeply at him, before he shook his head. “I had hoped you would come with me when your uncle returned, but I can see you are too immature for such a thing,” he stated and Fíli gaped, almost missing Kíli’s little gasp of surprise.

“Kíli, go take care of the goats,” Adad stated and Fíli glanced over in time to see Kíli open his mouth to protest before he shut it and ran out.

Fíli glared at the empty space.

That little _traitor_ …

“And the way you are glaring at empty air is doing nothing to dissuade that line of thought,” Adad continued and Fíli whipped his head back over, letting out a noise of distress.

“Adad, no, I am…I am ready to go with you to the Ruby Hills, I am! It was…it was just a mistake!” Fíli protested, even though he knew his father would not be swayed.

Adad was not stubborn in the way his mother, or uncle, were. He was stubborn like how the mountain is stubborn. Once he made up his mind, he would not be moved. He would stand firm and only let himself be moved at the time he willed it to be so.

“Maybe next year, Fíli, and only if you prove yourself to be mature. After all, it would take a storm to part Kíli from you and I need someone of proper maturity to help me watch him on the road. He is young, still, for all the five years separate you two. You have just started the Growing, it is to be expected that you may not be mature enough yet, and it is nothing to be ashamed of,” Adad stayed and Fíli bit his tongue.

“What if Kíli would stay?” Fíli asked.

“I still would not let you go. The road is a dangerous place and you have already caused one accident with your immaturity. Another year and we shall see,” Adad stated and then he was gone.

Fíli bit his tongue and willed away his disappointment and tears. Instead, he focused on how his mother had humiliated him, treating him like a _dwarfling_ in front of _everyone_ and how Kíli had just left him!

Gritting his teeth, Fíli stormed up to his room and slammed the door, ignoring how a part of him agreed with it.

He had acted stupidly and immaturely, and this was all he deserved.

Most of him, however, was just _angry_.

* * *

“Maybe you should take him with you. He might be getting his brains scrambled from the open sky,” Dís grumbled and Silir resisted the urge to chuckle at his wife, instead reaching out to gently tug her onto the bed next to him, mostly so she was easier to cuddle.

She went, almost reluctantly.

“When I was Fíli’s age, I was a horrible child. I screamed and shouted and threw my toys at the wall. At first, my father hoped that letting me out on patrols and such would stop it, but it only made it worse,” he stated, pausing in his tale to press a kiss to his wife’s temple, right next to the Marriage Braid.

A union between Erebor and the Ruby Hills was marked in their braids, a fortuitous circumstance, since Dwarves rarely married for trade agreements, like Men often did. Then again, they usually ‘bartered’ those who would thrive from the support that could be found in marriage, but had no desire to seek one out, allowing a strong bond to be formed between two settlements while two Craft-Bounds had the support of it to continue doing as they loved without fear.

He had never known any to be anything but happy with the arrangement, especially if two Craft-Bounds had Crafts that complemented each other, like gem cutters and jewelers.

“Yes?” she prompted and he chuckled, pressing another kiss to her temple.

“One day, my mother stepped in. I had almost gotten a patrol severely injured and she told me that I could not go out until I proved I was sufficient maturity. Oh, how I _screamed_ at her. I told her the most horrible things, called her the worst words. I once said such horrible things that my father washed out my mouth with soap,” he continued and let out a low sigh, adjusting his grip so he could wrap his arms more firmly around Dís’s waist.

“After a couple of years of this, I realized how horrible I was being. I don’t have siblings, so the only one hurt during this was my amad, who bore it with strength only a mother can have, I am sure,” Silir continued and pressed his forehead to Dís’s shoulder.

“So, what you are saying is that, because he has a younger brother to hurt, hopefully a lifetime of keeping a little brother from harm will kick in and stop him?” Dís asked dryly.

Silir chuckled and shook his head. “No, nothing like that. Maybe, however, Kíli should go with Thorin, if it gets out of hand? But you’ll have to take the brunt of it, most likely. I blamed my mother for a great deal of things, including embarrassing me, most of which I did to myself,” he stated and she huffed.

“He just needs to shake the pebbles out of his boots. Hopefully, it’ll be over quickly, but I only ever ventured outside the Ruby Hills when on those patrols. It is just…the Growing. He’s recently entered that troubling time of relearning himself. During my two years of being a horrible bratling, I learned how to pick pockets and locks with equal fervor, wanting…something, I guess. Most of those I ‘befriended’ in that time were not good sorts, but some were just ones with no choice in the matter. Those second sorts have become some of my best advisors, even if they are on the sly,” he added and Dís gave a snort.

“Fine. I blame your Stiffbeard blood. Mahal knows I never went through it, and neither did Frerin or Thorin,” she grumbled.

“Whatever you say Dear One,” Silir responded and she elbowed him in the ribcage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the part where I got carried away with how Kili wanted to be interpreted (which is adorable babu that’s like 9 to 11 years old) and the fact Fíli was 31 when Bilbo was born and is 64 at the time this story takes place, which made Kíli 26 when Bilbo was born and 59 when the story takes place, while at the same time…I made the Dwarf Coming of Age 80 (and when I later heard it was 40 I literally raised an eyebrow like, “Really Tolkien, really? They live to be an average of 250 years old and 40 is their Coming of Age? Besides, it is far more horrifying to think of Thorin and Dwalin and Dain and Balin being itty bitty babus in a war with the Coming of Age at 80, not 40, but I am evil and cruel that way.”)
> 
> Anyway all of my everything came off the idea that 100 (Elves) = 80 (Dwarves) = 33 (Hobbits) = 18 (Men). But, I suck at the whole ‘equivalent ages’ thing and looking at the Elves (whose children at 20 still looked to be 7 but at 50 looked like their adults selves, suggesting that they were 14 *vague handwavey motion* at 50) wasn’t helpful, so…
> 
> I basically tried to figure out how this would work. And I couldn’t just…divide by four, because that isn’t an even double all the way up but, I could sort-of do it, even though it made Kíli 13 and I was like, “But he’s like…11. Or 9. Not 13,” but it did make Fíli 14 which was pretty close to how I had him pegged.
> 
> And that is how I figured out their ages, even though it makes absolutely no sense to anyone but me.


	2. A Letter and a Prank

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place between Chapter Seven and Nine, overall.

Dís sighed as she read over the letter from Thorin, wondering what to tell him.

Fíli had started acting worse. He was shirking household chores to instead hang out with Robert and his ”friends”, of which Tomas was one of the few good ones. He only listened to Dwalin entirely and even then it was only within the forge, where he never missed a lesson.

She had agreed with Dwalin that upping his ‘skill’ training might help. After all, Kíli was younger and he designed, and helped create, jewelry with Silir. It seemed only fair and there had been some hope, even from Balin, that it would help Fíli.

It hadn’t.

Dís was starting to become seriously concerned for Fíli.

Maybe he _was_ getting sky sick, and he would do better once he was back under a mountain. She was tempted to convince Silir that he should take Fíli, but knew he would not change his mind.

Fíli had proved to be far too immature, with that incident in the town square almost a month ago, and she sighed, rubbing her thumb along her temple.

She hoped Kíli didn’t act out like this, or she wouldn’t be able to handle it, not entirely.

With a quiet sigh, she shook her head slightly and focused on what to write to him.

_Dear Thorin,_

_May you have as much health and happiness in the Shire as possible when so far from your most wonderful sister!_

_I am sure you are floundering without my most excellent and perfect advise, but alas, I am needed here._

_Shadowstone has done well this year. The crops are healthy and so there have been a rise in commissions from both the mayor and those of lesser means. Dwalin has decided that Fíli has grown enough in skill that it is time to move him into weapons smithing._

_I fully approve, naturally. He’s still trying to shake pebbles out of his boots, so this show of our appreciation of his skill will hopefully help with that._

_This good year, of course, fed into Kíli somewhat. He’s gotten a few more commissions from the Elves that come through here on their way to the Sea for that final journey of theirs._

_Silir has started to let him have some hands-on assistance, but he agrees that full training can wait till he’s older._

_Besides, he wants to be like you, considering he’s your heir, so he keeps running over to help Dwalin._

_No one seems to mind._

_Both Balin and Ori have gotten some commissions from the Elves to copy texts they brought with them to send back to Rivendell on a Hobbit caravan._

_I can hardly believe that there are_ Hobbit _caravans. They seem like such homebodies._

_Nothing wrong with that, of course, but still._

_At any rate, thanks for the coin, it helps, and when you get home, I am having Gloin and Dwalin help me pin you to the ground so I can attack that matted mess you call hair and getting those knots out._

_Remember, I only do so out of love._

_Dís, Most Wonderful and Excellent of Sisters_

She gave a nod at the letter and rolled it up. She stepped out and frowned slightly when she saw the Rook was on the arm of Nori.

The red-haired Dwarf with his tri-peaked hair didn’t seem to notice her and the Rook suddenly screeched and flapped his wings at Nori.

He yelped and hit the ground as the Rook flew away and banked around. He landed then and presented his back to Dís. Once the letter was secure, he took off, followed quickly by the other two Rooks.

“Whatever did you say?” she asked.

“Oh, nothing much. I think I insulted him though,” Nori said with a grin and turned on his heel to walk off.

She didn’t believe him for a minute.

* * *

Kíli frowned as he worked on cleaning the goats’ stall out and huffed.

Fíli was being a _brat_. He could tell, but he had no idea _why_. It wasn’t as if there was any real _change_ in anything.

Well, except _Robert_.

Kíli didn’t like Robert. He had a cruel smile and he made fun of Fíli behind Fíli’s back. Kíli had tried to tell Fíli, but Fíli had just brushed him off, which hurt far more than Kíli wanted to admit.

He had kept quiet after that, but Fíli just kept becoming more and more of a brat.

This must stop.

Kíli paused in his spreading of the straw, since he had finished cleaning it while pouting, and grinned.

Pranks.

 _Pranks_ would bring Fíli back!

Kíli nodded in satisfaction and finished putting the stall back in order. “Hi Ori!” he greeted cheerfully when he saw the Journeyman Scribe working on making a coop.

“Hello Kíli! What has you in such a good mood?” Ori responded warmly.

Ori wasn’t really of age, but they kept that pretty hush-hush, since he was a Journeyman, not an Apprentice. One usually had to be of age for that, but what no one knew wouldn’t really hurt them.

“I know how to get Fíli back,” Kíli explained.

“Oh, well, good luck,” Ori answered and Kíli beamed at Ori.

“Thank you!” he responded and walked out.

He headed upstairs and got Fíli’s pillow. He skipped out and then went to where there was mud and promptly filled it, then hauled it back up to their room, tossing it onto Fíli’s bed.

There!

That should get Fíli back.

* * *

It didn’t get Fíli back.

Kíli hid behind Amad as she kept Fíli from getting to him. “Fíli, enough! It was a prank! Go get yourself cleaned up and _Kíli_ , since he caused the mess, will clean it up!” Amad said firmly.

“He filled my pillowcase with mud! Again!” Fíli shouted.

“I haven’t done this in years, don’t make it sound like I’ve done it a ton of times!” Kíli shot back.

Fíli growled and tried to throw himself at Kíli, which got a yelp from Kíli as he tried to scramble backward, only to trip over a chair and fall.

With the chair.

It clattered and he panted quietly on the ground as Amad forcibly turned Fíli around. “Go. Bathe. Kíli will clean up,” Amad said.

Fíli growled, but obeyed and Amad sighed. She waited till Fíli had gone up the stairs before she turned to him.

“What _possessed you_ to do that?” she asked.

“It worked before!” Kíli protested quietly.

“My little ingot, this is not before,” Amad said quietly and sighed.

“Go clean it up,” she said.

“Yes Amad,” Kíli said quietly and rushed to do just that.

When he was done, Fíli was still not there. He considered and then rushed out of their shared room and to Uncle Thorin’s. It was empty, but Kíli didn’t care.

Instead, he just crawled right into the bed and hid under the covers.

When Fíli calmed down, he would go back.

Sometimes they needed a little space when they crossed a line with a prank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look, second one right away.
> 
> ....I'm gonna admit there isn't a lot. I had a ton of issues with writing what was going on in Shadowstone pre-Kili going with Thorin, and most of what is written is post-Kili going with Thorin, so there is probably going to be a _massive_ timeskip for the next one.
> 
> Mainly because...wow, most of what I wrote was for that.


	3. Discovery and Realization

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is basically right after Chapter 18?
> 
> Yeah, it takes place on that exact day. Cool.
> 
> ....Apparently I had a lot more put together than I thought. (Though I am going to go pass out now. It is really late/early where I am.

“Where’s Kíli?” Fíli asked as he came down the stairs for dinner.

Dís sighed and turned to Fíli, crossing her arms slightly. “He left today, with Thorin. To the Shire. You’ve been snarling about it for the past two weeks, complaining about how Kíli got to leave when you were told you were too immature,” Dís said.

“Wait, that was _true_? He really does get to leave this place before _I_ do?” Fíli demanded.

“Well, of course. He’s been terrified of you since the Mud Incident. He’s been hiding in Thorin’s room this entire time. At this point it is less of a point of maturity and more of a point of trying to help Kíli feel safe again,” Dís said bluntly, because she was done.

Fíli was acting like a petulant dwarfling who was being denied a piece of candy after he had already had a box of it.

Though, admittedly, a petulant dwarfling in that situation would likely have been easier to deal with.

Her words, as blunt as they were, made Fíli look like he had been slapped.

“What?” he asked.

“Kíli has been terrified of you. He’s been keeping close to Thorin or myself, especially if you are in the room. So I sent him with Thorin,” Dís said.

“And what will Adad have to say about _that_?” Fíli demanded.

“Likely be upset he didn’t get to say good-bye to Kíli, but accepting of it. He’ll understand my reasoning. He’s seen it as well,” she answered.

“Now come--” she continued only to get cut off when Fíli rushed out, slamming the door behind him.

“Fine, don’t eat,” Dís said to the empty room and huffed sharply.

* * *

Fíli headed for the village, easily even in the dark. Robert was often hanging out in the half-falling apart shack at the edge. He insisted his family owned it, but Fíli doubted it.

He just had a feeling people ignored them using it because no one wanted it.

He could see a light ahead and he picked up speed, knowing that meant there were at least a couple of his friends were in there. Maybe not Robert, who had listened to his snapping rants, but some of the others.

Definitely not Tomas, he had stopped coming shortly after Fíli had ranted about how Kíli got away with everything, but Fíli didn’t know why.

He heard voices, and some laughter as he drew closer and he picked up speed slightly.

“…Acting like one of us,” Robert laughed out and Fíli began to slow.

“It is hilarious! Especially how he follows after us like a little lost puppy, begging for scraps! I never thought he would have hung around this long!” Dale, like the faraway city at the foot of the Lonely Mountain, said.

“As if a Dwarf could ever fit in with us! But it is funny how he thinks he’s part of this,” Holger stated.

There was agreement and Fíli carefully took a step back.

He felt a slight twist in his chest and he swallowed back his sobs as he turned to walk back the way he came.

He headed back to home, but he faltered when he came close to the houses. He instead shifted his path and he turned toward the stables instead.

Spring was almost here, not quite, but close enough that it was chasing away the chill of winter during the day, but winter settled back at night.

He shivered a little and then picked up speed until he was inside the stables.

The animals all startled a little at someone entering their domain, but Striker, Dwalin’s donkey, didn’t bray to reveal him.

Fíli closed the door behind him and walked to the back of the stables. He climbed into the back corner, the closest thing to a Dwarven Hall he could get, and curled up in the back.

He buried his face against his knees, a lump in his throat and he rocked back and forth slightly.

Kíli had said it months ago, that Robert was a bully and he wasn’t the friend Fíli thought he was, that he made fun of him when Fíli wasn’t around but Fíli had brushed it off. Robert had always had a little bit of a mean streak in how he addressed them all, so Fíli hadn’t thought much of it.

At the reminder of Kíli, Fíli began to sob.

His little brother, the pair so close that they were called Dwarven Twins, five years separating them. That wasn’t much in Dwarven terms.

He had made the one person he was closest with, that everyone had joked there was no Fíli without Kíli _scared_ of him.

He sobbed harder against his knees and rocked a little more, still not sure of what he could do to fix it, especially since Kíli was already on his way to the Shire.

He was on his way to the Shire and Fíli wasn’t going to see him till Winter began.

He sobbed harder at the thought, and buried his face more against his knees, doing his best to muffle it all.

This wasn’t what was supposed to happen.

* * *

Nori’s, unofficial, job was to keep an eye on Fíli.

Thorin had asked it of him, when Fíli first started to hang out with the boys from the village. At first, Nori figured it was just a bit of a rebellion. Getting his pebbles out of his boots, acting out, and whatnot.

That was until Nori had figured out who Fíli’s “friends” were.

They were rough characters, who encouraged the worst of Fíli. He stopped fully thinking around them, wanting to fit in, something Nori knew the feeling of too well. He could see why Fíli was so attracted and why he was acting out so much.

He wanted their approval, to be accepted.

Nori was sure that they should have started having the boys go back and forth between Shadowstone and their father’s home mountain for years, but Fíli needed to be more mature and Kíli needed to be a little older.

Dori probably could have handled just Fíli up into the Blue Mountains’ Dwarvish holds, but before these past, roughly two years, it had never been _just_ Fíli.

He also knew what Kíli had learned weeks before Nori himself had learned it.

That the boys, especially Robert and excepting those like Tomas, mostly had Fíli along so they could make fun of how much he craved their approval, which they dangled just out of reach just to see how poorly he would behave.

They also made fun of how Fíli ranted at them.

So, when Fíli had gone storming off, Nori had followed.

He had followed to where Fíli discovered the truth and he followed back to the stables where Nori assumed he came upon a realization.

So, omitting the animals, including Striker who did _not_ reveal Nori’s presence for once, Nori was the only one to hear Fíli’s sobs.

It was a secret he could keep rather well, all told.

It wasn’t the weightiest he carried.


	4. Reconciliation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, don't expect the sequel for a while, sorry folks, but this is the end of this _part_.
> 
> Sorry, to have confused anyone. Series will be continuing, this part is now finished. Like....expect the REAL SEQUEL in six months, more or less.
> 
> I lost the notes five times. My brain is done with this part.

Dís raised an eyebrow when she saw Fíli was sweeping the floor when she came down the stairs to make breakfast. She leaned against the wall and watched as he opened the door and swept it out before he shut it, setting the broom against the wall, where it was usually kept.

He then began to head to the kitchen, though for what reason Dís couldn’t begin to discern, only for him to still upon seeing Dís. “I, uh, wanted to get an early start on my chores,” he explained and Dís nodded slowly as she finished stepping onto the ground floor.

“I’m glad to see it. Did you eat last night? I left something for you covered in the kitchen,” Dís responded gently as she focused on her eldest son.

Something was wrong, she could tell by the way that he was shuffling and had been so quiet in doing his chores that she hadn’t even known he was doing them. “I also fed the goats, Kíli’s goats, though Dwalin had the ponies and Striker, and Ori, of course, has his chickens,” Fíli responded softly and Dís nodded a little.

“Thank you for taking over there for Kíli,” she said and Fíli nodded.

She hummed slightly and lay a gentle hand on Fíli’s shoulder. “What’s wrong my little jewel?” she asked and Fíli became stone under her hand.

For a moment, she thought he would turn and storm away. He was still working everything out, but this 180 was worrying her. It was only last night that he was snarling and snapping, after all.

She nearly startled when he collapsed against her shoulder and began to sob. “Oh, my little jewel,” she soothed softly and ran a gentle hand over his hair.

He was babbling in Khuzdûl, and she could only pick up every third word, but she hummed gently. “Oh, my little jewel, of course I still love you. I’m your Amad. I can do no less,” Dís said gently, when she put that together and Fíli sobbed a little harder.

“Oh, my little jewel, so stubborn. That’s the Longbeard in you,” she soothed gently as she rocked a little and began to sing an old lullaby gently.

It took a while before Fíli calmed enough to pull away and she reached up to gently brush her hand over his cheek before she thunked her forehead to his. “Come on, help me make breakfast. And then you have to hurry over to the forge. Explain to Dwalin you’re taking over care of Kíli’s goats and he’ll make sure to move your training down enough to cover that,” she said and Fíli nodded.

“Yes Amad,” he responded quietly and she turned to head into the kitchen.

Fíli followed easily.

* * *

Fíli exhaled quietly as he was taking his break and blinked to see that Tomas was sitting on a nearby barrel, spinning green dyed wool on a drop spindle. “Hello,” Fíli greeted carefully and Tomas glanced over.

“Hey. I noticed you weren’t with Robert and them this morning,” Tomas said.

Fíli gave a shrug as he reached up to mess with his pony’s tail. He made sure to catch up his heir braid and that it was pulled back.

“Your mam crack down?” Tomas asked quietly.

“No,” Fíli answered.

“Ah. You overheard then?” Tomas asked and Fíli stilled before he glanced over sharply.

“It was why I left. And I was there when Kíli told you about Robert, so I didn’t bother,” he explained quietly, still spinning.

The wool was still being spun, Tomas as careful as Amad or even Tomas’s own mother.

“Oh,” Fíli said and sighed before he moved over to sit on the barrel next to Tomas.

“What’s in these anyway?” Tomas asked and Fíli glanced down.

“Water. Easier than hiking over to the well, and it is all rain water, or melted snow, so it works even better,” Fíli answered and Tomas nodded.

“You going to become a weaver?” Fíli asked.

“Not sure yet. But it helps Mam, so for now it is…nice. Calming,” Tomas answered.

Fíli nodded and then huffed. “What were we thinking? Regarding Robert,” he asked and Tomas let out an answered huff.

“No idea,” Tomas said and they both snorted.

Fíli shook his head a little and focused down at his hands.

They fell into a comfortable silence.

The next day, Fíli brought out some simple leather to do some simple braiding, nothing Dwarvish, while Tomas spun the wool.

* * *

Silir returned later than he had expected, but he rushed straight home once he returned to the village, ignoring the gentle teasing of the warriors that travelled with him.

He couldn’t wait to see his family, and he paused to greet Glóin, as well as Rella, noting that Glóin had a hand on Gimli. He hurried along and smiled when he saw his beloved Dís standing at the edge of their stables.

He beamed and rushed forward, lifting her up in a tight hug as he spun her around. She laughed brightly at that and they thunked their foreheads together gently. “Ah, my bright mithril,” he greeted very quietly in Khuzdûl.

“Sap,” Dís responded fondly.

Silir chuckled and slowly set her down. “Now, where are my silly boys?” he asked.

“Well, Fíli is in the forge, with Dwalin. Kíli is with Thorin in the Shire,” Dís responded and Silir exhaled quietly.

“Ah,” he answered softly and Dís nodded.

“And how is Fíli?” he asked.

“Something happened. He told me he learned that ‘Kíli was right’ and asked a bit about if I still loved him. Might have been ‘we’, so I would do that reassurance, but the exact circumstances I am afraid I don’t know. He’s been somewhat quiet since. Behaving, doing all his chores. Hanging out with Tomas on his breaks, but not otherwise,” Dís responded and Silir gave a nod.

“A letter come yet?” Silir asked.

“I’m expecting one soon,” Dís and Silir nodded with a smile.

He gently thunked his forehead to Dís’s and smiled at her.

* * *

Kíli had only been gone for a month, roughly, and Fíli _missed him_.

It was so strange, despite months, maybe two years or so worth of months, of Kíli not spending the majority of his time with Fíli, for him not to be there. Occasionally he would turn, half-expecting Kíli, only to remember.

Fíli hated it and it made him moody, which had Dwalin, gently, smacking him upside the head when he was in the forge.

“Keep that up and you’ll be making nails again,” he warned.

Fíli shuddered at that and quickly focused back on what he was working on.

He _hated_ making horseshoe nails.

He was still a little moody though, but he made sure to be gentle with Kíli’s goats, no matter how moody he was.

Amad, of course, had snorted and rolled her eyes at it. “He’ll be back in autumn. Cutting it shorter because of your moods won’t do anything,” she remarked.

Adad had given a nod. “You’ll have to apologize, and he will too for annoying you, but it’ll work out, you’ll see.”

Fíli nodded and focused on work, and maybe rebuilding his friendship with Tomas.

* * *

Fíli stood anxiously at the edge of the farm, Adad at his side, moving from foot to foot.

“Relax. They’re coming,” Adad said.

“As if you aren’t going to be plucking Kíli off the bench!” Fíli responded, just as the two horses turned the road, heading up the way.

“Adad! Fíli!” Kíli shouted and the horses stopped quickly as Thorin obviously caught Kíli from leaping off the bench.

Fíli didn’t hesitate at the shout, rushing around the horses and to the cart’s bench.

He clambered up the steps and hugged Kíli tightly.

“I’m sorry,” Fíli said quietly.

“I’m sorry too,” Kíli answered and Fíli made a noise as there was another set of arms around them and then Adad was hugging them close.

“Wonderful. Get off my cart,” Thorin ordered and Adad laughed.

“Thorin! What do you have in your hair?” Amad shouted and Thorin froze, his head twisting slightly, a Braid of Courtship swinging with him.

“Mahal _curse it,”_ Thorin hissed as Amad came to join them.


End file.
